Patricia J Campbell

Born, 10/23/1921, died 6/28/2019 at age 97. Pat was one of those “Greatest Generation” folks. Born in Ellsworth, MN, she grew up in Worthington, a child during the Roaring Twenties, an adolescent to a young woman during the Great Depression. She had a wonderful family, parents Walter Henry and Eugenia King Rohlk, and a dear older sister, Pauline Arlie Rohlk. She met Tom Campbell from Luverne at Worthington Junior College, and after Pearl Harbor and Tom’s enlistment in the Army Air Corp, took the train to Lubbock Texas, and then, Wichita Falls where they were married in April of 1943. Before Tom’s deployment to England in March of 1944, Pat returned to Worthington where son, Mike, was born in September of 1944. Tom, a glider pilot, ended up participating in the following battles and campaigns: Normandy, Southern France, Rome-Arno, Northern France and Rhineland, before eventually returning to Worthington in 1945. He was finishing up his undergrad degree under the GI bill at Augustana College in Sioux Falls in 1947 when Mark was born. Tom’s first teaching job took the family to Adrian, MN, where Tom Jr. was born, Christmas day, 1949. The family moved to East Lansing, MI in 1950 and Tom Sr. got his Masters in School Administration at Michigan State. Clare, MI and St. Clair Shores, MI were stops before the family moved to Stillwater in 1958. Son, John, was born in Stillwater in March of 1963, rounding out the family. Tom was Superintendent of Schools for the Stillwater District for 9 years before becoming the first Executive Director of TIES in 1967 where he remained until his retirement in 1980. Pat was a great wife and terrific mom, loving everything about her life. She was never left out. She loved fishing (except for baiting the hook and removing the fish, which was what Tom was for). A sports enthusiast, she followed all her boys’ activities. A good golfer, Tom took much more pride in her game than his own. She had great neighbors with whom she often had coffee. She loved her bridge club and her rosary guild. She had wonderful golfing buddies. Tom loved dancing and they belonged to a dance club. After the 3 older boys left home, Tom, Pat, and John bought a popup trailer and traveled and camped and fished. After Tom’s retirement they began to split time between Stillwater and their townhome in Scottsdale, AZ. Tom’s death in 1989 may have ended the happiest time in her life, but she accepted that fact and enjoyed the last 30 years. A game player, she loved golf, bridge, Scrabble, Bananagrams (although she was either not a very good speller, or thought her opponents weren’t, as she tried to sneak words by), cross-word puzzles, reading, Mexican Train, and the NBA (Steve Nash and Russell Westbrook were almost like family). She is survived by her 4 sons, Mike (TK), Mark (Shelley), Tom (Denyce), and John; Mike’s 3 children, Scott, Lara, and Brianne, and 2 grandchildren, Erin (Kris) and Alyssa; Mark’s 3 children, Molly (Doug), Libby (Jeremy), and Steve (Hannah), and 5 grandkids, Charlie, Natalie, Sydney, Isabel, and Lucy; Tom’s 3 children, Chris (Mark), Casey (Dan), and Thomas III (Brooke), and 2 grandchildren, Dominic and Avery, with one on the way, and John’s 2 children, Ian and Maddy. She had wonderful friends whom she loved, most long gone, but she leaves many, new, cherished, friends behind. Thanks to Croixdale where she has lived for the last 12 years and her many friends there, dead and living. Thanks to Lakeview Hospital and the wonderful people there. Special thanks to Anne Anderson, Lakeview Hospice nurse and The Pillars Hospice Home, the nurses and aides who were so good to her during her last 52 days. Visitation will be 7/18/19 at Simonet Funeral Home, 5-8pm, and 1 hour before the Mass, Friday, 7/19/19, 10-11am, at St. Mary’s Church with the Mass at 11 and lunch to follow. Memorials preferred to Croixdale, Lakeview or the Pillars.

Service Information

Visitation

Friday, July 19 2019
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Church of Saint Mary
423 5th Street South
Stillwater MN 55082

Mass of Christian Burial

Friday, July 19 2019
11:00 AM

Church of Saint Mary
423 5th Street South
Stillwater MN 55082